Method and apparatus for automatically scheduling a telephone connection

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for automatically scheduling or rescheduling a voice connection (e.g., a telephone call) when one attempt to establish the connection fails. A recipient of a call fails to answer the call, but instead of the caller only having the option of leaving a voicemail message, he or his communication device (e.g., a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant) automatically issues a separate communication toward the recipient's communication device indicating a time at which the caller will be available to receive a return call from the recipient of the attempted call. Alternatively, or in addition to this separate communication, the recipient's communication device may issue another separate communication toward the caller's communication device, to identify a time at which the recipient is expected to be available to receive a later call attempt.

1. A method of automatically scheduling a telephone connection when a first telephone connection is not answered, the method comprising:
 receiving at a first communication device the first telephone connection from a second communication device; 
 without the first telephone connection being answered at the first communication device, automatically determining a future time at which an operator of the first communication device is available for a second telephone connection based on one or more operating parameters, wherein the one or more operating parameters are associated with an operator of the first communication device; and 
 identifying the future time in a transmission directed from the first communication device toward the second communication device, wherein the transmission is via a different communication path than the first telephone connection, and wherein the transmission occurs simultaneously with the first telephone connection. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said automatically determining comprises referencing an electronic calendar program for the operator of the first communication device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the electronic calendar program executes on the first communication device. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the electronic calendar program executes on a computer system electronically coupleable to the first communication device. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said automatically determining further comprises, prior to said referencing:
 detecting that the first telephone connection is not answered. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said identifying comprises transmitting an electronic mail message toward the second communication device. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said identifying comprises transmitting a text message toward the second communication device. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said identifying comprises transmitting a data message toward the second communication device. 
     
     
       9. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of automatically scheduling a telephone connection when a first telephone connection is not answered, the method comprising:
 receiving at a first communication device the first telephone connection from a second communication device; 
 without the first telephone connection being answered at the first communication device, automatically determining a future time at which an operator of the first communication device is available for a second telephone connection based on one or more operating parameters, wherein the one or more operating parameters are associated with an operator of the first communication device; and 
 identifying the future time in a transmission directed from the first communication device toward the second communication device, wherein the transmission is via a different communication path than the first telephone connection, and wherein the transmission occurs simultaneously with the first telephone connection. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises automatically determining a future time at which an operator of the first communication device is available for a second telephone connection while the first communication device is still ringing.